Skip to content
Smartbox Pick to Light – home page

Assembly workstation guidance: the right part lit up at every step

At an assembly workstation, Pick to Light lights the bin holding the part needed for the current assembly step and offers the next one only after the pick is confirmed. It works as poka-yoke, enforcing the right part and order without the operator reading drawings or lists. Errors in variant-rich assembly fall, and new staff become productive much sooner.

At a glance

  • Micro-positions from 15 mm for small components
  • Hands-free confirmation via optical sensor
  • Light guidance developed in-house since 2018

Why manual assembly errors start at the parts bins

Manual assembly with many variants demands a lot from operators: they must remember which screw, connector or seal belongs to which version and in what order. Bins of similar parts sit side by side, and a moment of inattention sends a faulty product down the line. The error is often found only at final inspection or by the customer, where fixing it costs most.

Assembly workstation guidance: the right part lit up at every step

What Pick to Light changes at the workbench

Step-by-step guidance

Only the bin for the current step is lit. Once the pick is confirmed, the next part lights up immediately, so the workstation itself holds the assembly sequence.

Confirmation without delay

An optical sensor registers the reach into the position, so nothing needs pressing. Where a deliberate confirmation is required, the button on the PUM-A module is used.

Small parts in a tight grid

LED strips in aluminium profiles allow positions from just 15 mm wide, so even narrow bins of fasteners can be distinguished at the workstation.

New variants without rewiring

Position assignment is changed in software. When a variant is added or bins are rearranged, you adjust a setting, not the wiring.

How it works

  1. 1The operator scans the job or serial number, or the host system assigns it to the station.
  2. 2The system builds the list of steps and parts for that variant.
  3. 3The bin for the first step lights up, optionally with a quantity.
  4. 4A sensor or button confirms the pick and the next part lights up.
  5. 5After the last step, completion is recorded and the station is ready for the next unit.

WMS and ERP integration

The workstation can take bills of materials and step sequences from your ERP, WMS or production system via REST API or MQTT and report completion back. For a standalone station without integration, procedures can be managed directly in the CI4 control software. The controller connects over Wi-Fi or LAN and is configured through a web interface.

Software

What to prepare for an inquiry

  • Number of product variants and assembly steps
  • Number and size of bins at the workstation
  • Preferred confirmation: sensor, button or app
  • Whether the station runs standalone or linked to ERP/MES
  • Photos or a sketch of the current workstation

Recommended products

Pick to Light Shelves

Stationary workstation with fast access to thousands of positions

Product details

Frequently asked questions

Poka-yoke is the principle of preventing an error within the process rather than finding it at inspection. Pick to Light applies it by showing the operator only the one correct bin and releasing the next step only after the pick is confirmed. The workstation itself guides assembly in the right order, reducing reliance on the operator's memory.

With an optical sensor, hardly at all. The sensor confirms the operation the moment the operator reaches into the position, so no extra movement is added. The button on the PUM-A module is chosen where a deliberate confirmation is wanted, and exceptions or supervisory steps can be confirmed in the operator app. We pick the method based on takt and ergonomics.

Yes. Aluminium profiles with LED strips mount on existing shelves, bin rails and workbenches without construction work or special tools. The system runs on a safe 5 V supply, which keeps installation simple where people are working. From unpacking to the first guided step typically takes hours.

Yes, considerably. A new operator does not need to memorise every variant because the workstation shows the right part at each step. Learning to use the system takes about 30 minutes, leaving the operator free to focus on the assembly itself. That shortens the time to independence and relieves experienced colleagues who would otherwise supervise.

Other applications

All applications

Shall we look at your operation?

Send us your number of locations, orders and shifts – we will propose a setup and a payback estimate.

Book Consultation Write to us